2003 50th Anniversary Special Edition Corvette

I trust I’m not the only one having a hard time believing the Corvette celebrates 50 years with the 2003 model. Although I wasn’t born when it was, it doesn’t seem possible this American automotive icon could have been around for half a century. How could this once-youthful symbol of all that was daring and carefree be so, well, mature?

We may remember those marvelous debut models as the best of the best, but truth be told, they don’t hold a candle to this middle-aged marvel. Appropriately, the Corvette arrives at its 50th anniversary with far more poise, wisdom and power than the originals ever dreamed. Those young Corvettes may have been wonders for their time, but their successors reveal a much stronger, finer vision.

The Good News
Having thoroughly reviewed this generation Corvette in columns past, I will not delve into much minutia with this 50th Anniversary Special Edition coupe. Instead, I will dwell on the bigger picture here.

Suffice to say the Corvette has evolved from a rough, raw, powerful, loud and rather unsettling American two-seater into a world-class exotic. That doesn’t mean it isn’t still powerful, loud, relatively raw and occasionally unsettling. But that would be by design, and the “rough” part is conspicuously absent.

Its reputation for being rude and rattling was forever dispelled by this generation. Instead, refinement seeps into every pore. From its longer, leaner looks to its more forgiving ride to a quiet cabin and hints of luxury throughout, the Corvette demonstrates that American muscle needn’t be crass.

To that end, new this year is a new Magnetic Selective Ride system using revolutionary magnetic shocks. It comes standard equipment on special anniversary editions and an option throughout the rest of the lineup.

Basically, the synthetic fluid in the dampers can change viscosity rapidly, going from no damping to solid almost instantly. A computer monitoring vehicle speed, steering-wheel angle, lateral acceleration, brake application, temperature and wheel travel and speed controls those adjustments.

The result is a Corvette that ignores smaller blips in the pavement entirely and stays more grounded and smoother over the larger ones. That’s a far cry from the days when even the least bump registered right through to your teeth.

There are no changes to powertrain in this 2003. It’s the same LS1 cranking 350 horses and 375 lb-ft of torque. The “relatively raw” part comes in when you unleash this big 5.7-liter V-8 in the second of its six gears and let its glorious roar and rumble fill you up. Great reflexes and solid muscle, 0 to 60 in about 4.5 seconds, a quarter mile in just over 13 seconds, a top speed somewhere north of 160 mph: We should all be such athletes at 50.

The Bad News
Although the Corvette has plenty to celebrate at this milestone without gimmicks and fanfare, I confess I did expect something more exciting in this Special Edition than new shocks and a few badges.

Even the color is dull. It’s called Anniversary Red (really?) and was chosen because red is currently the most popular Corvette color. But this red bears no resemblance to flashy lipstick-red shades; instead it’s a dark cherry color, splashed with light-catching aluminum oxide-flakes and finished with a specially tinted clear-coat.

Inside is what they call “50th Annversary Shale,” which is a soft gray-beige. Tasteful “50th Anniversary" badges and special embroidery add finishing touches. It’s all lovely, but much too ho-hum for what should be an eye-catching statement.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 19 mpg city/28 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $43,225
Price as tested, $49,810

Is it worth it?
The Corvette remains one of the great bargains in its class, when you consider how much you pay elsewhere for this kind of power, presence and driving pleasure. It arrives at 50 with the self-assurance one expects of middle age. Although the anniversary model does not represent major changes, it provides a good opportunity to revisit this venerable two-seater, pay homage to its evolution and salute the fabulous sports car it has become.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.